I am SHI Chaolu, from Class 3, Digital Technologies, Grade 2024 at Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences.
Since December last year, I have had the chance of starting my internship at Miele, a global leader in high-end home appliances. During this period, I rotated through the Research & Development, Testing, and Human Resources departments, and participated in witnessing the complete lifecycle of a product from its initial concept to mass production. This cross-departmental practical experience has been extremely fruitful and beneficial for me.
At the beginning of my internship, I first joined the R&D department. The department head systematically explained the workflow of the R&D team, giving me a profound understanding: the birth of a high-end product is not by chance. In the early stages of product development, R&D colleagues need to invest tremendous effort into refining every detail – from the architectural design of core functions to the minor optimizations for user experience. In the later stages, a series of rigorous professional tests in the laboratory are required to precisely identify and solve various technical challenges. As a globally oriented German company, the team also needs to maintain frequent communication with colleagues at the German headquarters, building consensus through the collision of diverse ideas and finalizing solutions. This experience gave me a more concrete understanding of the word “precision” and initially built my systematic knowledge of the home appliance R&D process.
Testing Department
Subsequently, I transferred to the laboratory testing department, where I officially began the core task of this internship – deeply participating in the A0 phase testing work for the product. While completing various basic tasks assigned by the test engineers with quality and quantity assured, I maintained a proactive learning attitude: by carefully observing the testing processes, humbly asking professional questions to experienced colleagues, and sitting in on project communication meetings, I gradually clarified the entire logic chain of product testing and gained an in-depth understanding of the core quality standards and testing specifications in the home appliance industry. From being initially unfamiliar with the testing instruments to being able to independently complete standardized tests, and then to accurately identifying potential problems during the testing process, my professional practical skills have been solidly improved through repeated practice.
Internship Transformation
During the internship, my biggest transformation was the dual shift in my mindset and work output. When I first joined the testing department, facing the monotonous and repetitive basic testing tasks, I once felt overwhelmed; the noisy environment composed of the continuous sounds of laboratory equipment also required a brief adaptation period. But gradually, I was influenced by the team members’ work enthusiasm and spirit of collaboration: although everyone belonged to different test projects and came from various entities such as production, R&D, testing, suppliers, and the German headquarters, all held the belief of “aligning goals and working together towards a solution.” This atmosphere of unity and cooperation helped me settle down quickly. I no longer limited my work to “completing tasks,” but began to truly focus on the product itself – not only accurately recording and reporting discovered issues during tests but also learning to examine the product from the user’s perspective, proposing several practical optimization suggestions, some of which have been included in the team’s reference plans.
Core Insights
Reflecting on this internship experience, I have distilled two core insights:
First, in the current fiercely competitive job market, “composite capabilities” and “continuous learning ability” are key to establishing oneself. Companies increasingly prefer talents with broad knowledge who can adapt to multi-scenario work. The breadth and depth of one’s knowledge base directly determine the number of development opportunities. This cross-departmental internship has deeply impressed upon me that knowledge of Electronic Information is not isolated. Only by combining professional skills with industry awareness and practical experience, and continuously expanding one’s ability boundaries, can one walk more steadily and further on their career path.
Second, besides hardcore professional knowledge, the enhancement of “soft skills” is equally indispensable. During the internship, in addition to regular product meetings in the testing department, the supervisor also organized several special training sessions covering topics such as efficient communication skills across different personalities and cultural backgrounds, team collaboration methods, and efficient working modes. This made me understand that in the workplace, the ability to quickly integrate into a team and effectively communicate to solve problems often directly impacts work efficiency and outcome quality. These seemingly “non-professional” skills are actually key to removing work obstacles and achieving a win-win situation for both the individual and the team, enabling learning and work to achieve “twice the result with half the effort.”
Finally, I sincerely thank Miele for this valuable internship opportunity. Here, I not only gained professional growth but also experienced the strong humanistic care of a foreign company: the relationships among colleagues are relaxed and harmonious, the team atmosphere is open and inclusive, and the company has also established a welfare and incentive system for frontline employees, making every worker feel respected and valued. In the future, I will continue to move forward with the Miele spirit of “immer besser” (always better), delving deeper into my professional field, continuously improving myself, and facing future challenges with a more fulfilled attitude. Adhering to the core concept of “pursuing excellence, never stopping,” I will carry the rigorous and pragmatic attitude cultivated during my internship, transform what I have learned and felt into motivation, and bravely meet every challenge on my academic and professional journey.
